Monday, January 30, 2006

We got in the CSA food basket program!Yay! We were able to get into the community supported agriculture food basket program at Hardin's River Merchantile in downtown Little Rock! I called this morning and talked to the nicest man who was just as excited as I was to be applying for the program, which will only serve 100 families in this its second year of operation.Families in the program get a great big basket of naturally-grown produce and meat every month. Raised by local farmers, these fresh seasonal items don't contain any of those harmful chemicals that coat the food that is widely available.The program is available on a subscription basis with participants prepaying $180 for three months at a huge basket a month. That works out to $60 a month. Those who prepay for a year get a 10 percent discount; the helpful Mr. Robbie told me that I can still get the 10 percent discount even if I wait a couple months into my first subscription to prepay for the year. Baskets are picked up the week of the 20th and we got in for February! This is so exciting and exactly what I've been wanting for my family. We eat as healthy as we can with the limited time and money that we have but our food choices of late haven't been very good. Here's a list of what came from local farmers in the January basket:Baby arugula, spinach and spring greensHoneyOrganic jasmine riceHalf-pound of shiitake mushroomsTomatoesAcorn and butternut squashCracked pecansSweet potatoesVacuum-packed beefalo jerky and sausageHoneysuckle eggsRaw milk cheeseVegetarians of course skip the meat products and opt for more herbs, greens and grains.Doesn't that sound like the bulk of the grocery bill for the month? It sure does to me. You just go pick up your food, eat and enjoy for the rest of the month. It'll be rather like getting a present since you don't know exactly what you are getting until you get it. We'll be eating much better and supporting local farmers. I didn't realize there are so many growers of natural produce in this area, which has got to be the pesticide capital of the country. I'll be proud to support them and improve my family's health all at the same time.My websiteMy writing blogMy working mom blog